Legally Blonde

My Beauty Blog

Let Him Dress You

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Every girl wonders what her guy thinks is sexy. Jeans or a skirt? Heels or sneakers? Bold or demure? Fun or mysterious? But odds are, when asked, the response from most guys is something to the effect of “you look good in everything.” At least it should be. If he doesn’t even give you that, get a new guy – there are more than 3 billion of them out there give or take a few million. But we digress. The problem with not knowing what clothes send your guy over the top is that when you want to do just that you’re shooting in the dark. If he thinks you’re irresistible in a tank top and sweats, then save the money on the six-inch heels and be comfortable. But if it’s high fashion that keeps his attention, you don’t want to show up in a pair of old jeans – no matter how good they make your butt look.

Check This: Fashion Tips for Wearing Tall Boots.

We decided to take some of the guess work out of it and ask around. We found two things that surprised us. First, guys notice more in the world of fashion than they let on. And second, they really do have an opinion on what they like – they just need to see it know. We compiled the results and here are our top three recommendations for your closet based on what our guys had to say.

The Sundress

All our guys love the sundress. Not every one of them knew exactly what one was, but when faced with examples, they all approved. Whether light and cotton or dressed up for a night out, the sundress makes a big splash with the boys. The length – above the knee – certainly helps, but what seems to be the constant running through the feedback is that girls wearing sundresses have a hard time being anything other than happy. (Think about it; if you’re in a lousy mood, odds are you’re not reaching for the sundress.) Sundresses make us smile and when we smile, our boys melt – some even admit it. So in this case, the dress makes the mood and the combination turns heads.

The Heels

There were plenty of guys who said they were happy with girls in hoodies and jeans and loved it when their girls embraced their inner beauty without feeling the need to spend hours in hair and makeup before heading out to the grocery store. But (you did sense the “but” coming, didn’t you?) every last one of them admitted that there is just something over the top sexy about heels. High and strappy were two of the leading likes. He wants to see your feet and all the better when they’re wrapped up in something pretty. And while it isn’t exactly a groundbreaking discovery that guys like girls in heels, think of it as justification for your collection – and all the more reason to go shopping.

The Hats

Hats are somewhat overlooked by many women but, according to our guys, they shouldn’t be. Maybe it’s that the perfect hat can tie an entire look together. Or maybe it’s that by putting the eyes in a shadow a hat draws attention to the lips. Or maybe it’s just that guy like hats. Regardless, see what you have in your closet. The right slouchy hat can make a casual outfit a standout and a crisp retro-style hat with a short brim can take a club look to a whole new level. And as cliché, as it sounds, they still love the straw-cowboy-hat-at-the-beach look. Of course the two-piece and the tan help here too.

Kick The Baby Blues

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As a new mom, you are bombarded with new emotions, responsibilities and sleep deprivation not to mention the return to normalcy in your hormones and body. All this and much more lend themselves to what so many refer to as the baby blues. While these are often considered the less severe cousin to postpartum depression, they can be equally as scary and be trying while you’re experiencing them.

It is estimated that “although half of all women develop “baby blues” that lift after a few weeks, 13 percent experience postpartum depression that can last up to a year,” says Lauren B. Zoschnick, M.D. who is the medical director of the Livonia Health Center in Michigan. She adds that many women who do experience postpartum depression don’t begin to experience symptoms until months after the baby is born. This can be a result of returning to work under the stress of the added responsibility of a child and lack of sleep.

A recent study in Pediatrics states that these three questions are as effective in determining postpartum depression as a professional screening: Have you blamed yourself unnecessarily when things go wrong? Have you been anxious or worried without good reason? And have you felt irrationally scared or panicked? To help keep track of your mental well-being, take stock and answer these questions honestly every few weeks or if you sense that your mood may be changing.

For the almost undeniable bit of baby blues that all moms experience, here are a few strategies for kicking those blues and regaining your sense of self. Please remember that we’re talking about the mild case of blahs, not depression or if you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions. If you can line up a friend or family member to be your helper before the baby comes these tips will work even better for you.

Allow your designated helper to clean your toilets, wash some of the additional laundries, and watch the baby while you sleep. Now sleep! Allow yourself to nap. You need it and the baby needs you to be rested. When you wake up, take a long shower then do your hair and put on makeup as you normally did B.B. (Before Baby). If weather permits, pile you, baby and your friend in the car and go to the park for a walk. Even if it’s the dead of winter, step outside as often as you need to and take a deep breath. Fresh air will work wonders for you.

Read More Cooking With Coconut Oil.

Any of these small things done alone can help you kick the baby blues, combine them for an even bigger boost. You’ll be amazed what a swipe of mascara, a clean shirt or a walk to the mailbox can do for your overloaded brain.

Keep in mind that even if this is your second, third or fourth child, you may experience different postpartum emotions and symptoms with each child. Don’t fear any negative experiences you’ve had after previous pregnancies or dismiss any new challenges you’re having with later pregnancies. Preparation and honest communication with yourself, your spouse and your doctor are crucial to your good health and to your baby.

Cooking With Coconut Oil

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Coconut Oil

To eat healthy, we generally use only vegetable oils for preparing our food. We have been advised all the while that vegetable fats for cooking is a more option compared to animal fat. But vegetable oils contain saturated and unsaturated fats. We were given to believe that unsaturated fats are healthy while saturated fats are bad for body as they supposedly increase cholesterol. But these unsaturated fats are also turning out to be harmful, according to experts.

The reason is this. Non-saturated oils like vegetable oil, corn oil, safflower oil etc., when heated, suffer the effect of oxidation. The harmful result of oxidation on food is known as the rancidity of food. Foodstuffs that are made using the above mentioned fats and oils and kept for a long time emit strange smell and their original taste will change.

Then we call such phenomenon as rancidity. Foodstuff prepared with such oils and fats taste differently. Such food will produce what are called free radicals which damage healthy body cells. Hence they are toxic in nature. So, one needs to use less amount of tehse oils as they tend to become rancid, hence harmful.

Now consider coconut oil. This oil stays stable on heating. It doesn’t get altered. It is not prone to oxidation. So, there will be no free radicals problem. So, damage to bodily cells. You can cook food with it, bake food using it, you can even use for dressings etc.

Consider the advantages of coconut oil:

  • Helps in keeping the heart healthy.
  • Strengthens the body defence mechanism.
  • Provides you with energy and power.
  • It will sustain life support systems.
  • It will help in your goal of weight loss.
  • Cholesterol will be controlled at the desired level.
  • Additionally, it dacts as skin siftening agent.

But coconut oil is a saturated oil, everybody knows it. But how can it be labeled as healthy? It is beacause of its very configuration as a chemical compound. It contains medium-chain essential fatty acids (MCFA’s), whereas most other vegetable oils and fats contain lengthy-chain essential fatty acids (LCFA’s). LCFA’s can be detrimental to one’s health.

Our body will find it strenuous to digest these oils. Not only the digestive system, but other organs such as liver, pncreas etc have to bear the burden also. Un-processed fat gets accumulated in the body which will lead to higher levels of cholesterol. LCFA’s more often than not get saved as body fat.

Medium-chain fatty acids are easy to get digested and processed leading to fat reduction. Instead of getting accumulated in teh body, they help body’s metabolism.

Another really awesome proven fact is that coconut oil consists of Lauric Acid, that is a natural chemical compound present in breast milk. Lauric acidi is vital since it fortifies your defense mechanisms.

Be selective when buying coconut oil. Use only the very fresh oil that is available in the supermarkets. Don’t go by the expiry date comfort. They may turn rancid even before thier expiry date. Opt for fresh coconut oil that is extracted from fresh coconuts, not from dried nuts. They sttaste stale and turn rancid in no time.

Taking the Stress Out of Stressful Situations

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stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life in the busy, hectic society of today. With things constantly needing to be done, unexpected expenses, unplanned events, problems at work or at home and more, stress can lead to physical symptoms and cause serious damage.

How we deal with stress becomes imperative in maintaining a healthy and balanced life, as well as a healthy mindset. It’s often easy to get overwhelmed. Stress can trigger headaches, physical illness, reduced immune system function and anxiety attacks. Learning to deal with stress as it comes is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, and these tips can help reduce the impact that stress often has on our minds and our bodies.

1) Exercise

It may seem like the last thing in the world you have time to do, but exercise can greatly reduce the impact of stress, and the worry that it creates in your mind. Exercise releases chemicals in the body that promote a steady emotional state, and burning off excess energy and frustration that stress is known to cause can be a healthy way to deal with stress positively. Going for a brisk walk or taking a run on a treadmill is not only good for you physically, but mentally as well.

2) Journaling

Writing down your thoughts and feelings can serve a dual purpose. Not only does it help you get all your thoughts out on paper (or online if typing is easier) but it can also help organize a stressful situation into more manageable pieces. By focusing on one aspect at a time, and making the effort to get your feelings out, they often reduce in intensity by the time you’re done. Then you’re ready to restart your task clearly and hopefully with a more helpful direction.

3) Take a Break

When pressures arise at work or at home, it may seem impossible to walk away from your desk and remove yourself physically from the situation. But (as any motivational speaker can tell you) taking a break – even for a few moments – can help your mind refocus and come back to the project at hand with a new focus.

4) Talk It Out

Like journaling, talking out your stress or frustration to a close friend, spouse or family member can do wonders at reducing the impact that stress can have. Vocalizing your feelings and getting them out into the open can usually serve the purpose of reducing them. You can look back and realize that, while a situation is bad, it’s only temporary. Know that you can get through it. Having the support and encouragement from a friend or family member can be the extra kick you need to get the job done right.

Uncontrollable situations happen – they’re an inevitable part of life. It’s how we handle them that help to define us as individuals and build our character into something to be proud of. Look back at the things that have worried you the most in the past week or month. Over 85% of the things we often stress ourselves out over never come to pass.

Worrying did nothing to prevent them, and worrying will do nothing to help the situation if they do happen. All stress does is make us feel sick, both mentally and physically. So instead of looking into the future for potential things that may happen, take things as they come, remember to take deep breaths, and try to relax. Above all, stressing out about stress doesn’t do any good. Let it go, smile and find a positive future.

Immediate Treatments for Hypoglycemia

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Hypoglycemia

We often hear about the dangers of consuming too much sweet junk food and candy, but did you know that sugars are essential to body function? Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar. This condition commonly affects diabetics who have taken too much insulin, over exerted themselves, or missed a meal.

It can also occur as a side effect of other illnesses, like Addison’s disease. When blood sugar levels drop below four milimoles per litre, sufferers may feel extremely hungry or begin trembling and sweating. In more severe cases, disorientation and inability to focus may also occur.

The symptoms of hypoglycaemia overlap with those of hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), and it can be difficult to determine which is occurring. However, the NHS recommends that diabetics experiencing these signs respond as if they had low blood sugar to prevent their glucose levels from dropping even more.

Without a rapid response to the symptoms associated with hypoglycaemia, blood sugar levels will continue to plummet and may even eventually cause unconsciousness as the brain is starved of glucose. Here are four fast-acting cures for the effects of hypoglycaemia:

1) Grab a sugary drink or food

Candies, milk chocolate, and fruit drinks all contain large amounts of sugar. Consuming one of these treats will quickly spike your blood glucose levels and restore your normal body function. Regular sodas (not diet varieties), diluted honey, and milk can also prevent collapse during a hypoglycaemic episode, but know that this is not enough to sustain healthy blood glucose levels.

2) Eat carbs straight away

Carbohydrate rich foods such as bread, cereals, and starches are converted into sugar by the body during digestion. Therefore, after raising your blood sugar levels with a quick fix candy, you should try to get a hold of a sandwich or some biscuits. This will keep blood sugar levels normal for longer since it takes your body more time to extract the sugar in carbohydrates.

3) Carry glucose or dextrose tablets

Sugar tablets have the advantage of being easily portable, so you can always keep them with you. In fact, hypoglycaemia sufferers should always carry these tablets, as they can restore blood sugar levels up to two times faster than sugary foods. You do not require a prescription to buy these tablets, and so they can be purchased on the go as needed.

4) Injectable glucagons

In extreme cases, such as in the event of unconsciousness caused by low blood sugar levels, hormone injections of glucagon will quickly restore blood sugar levels. Having a vial and syringes on hand in case of emergency would be wise for anyone with type 1 diabetes.

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you frequently suffer from hypoglycaemic episodes, make sure you limit your alcohol intake, follow a balanced diet, and fuel up by eating carbs before exercising. Make sure that those around you know you are prone to low blood sugar by telling friends and family, or by carrying identification letting others know about your condition.